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Finding Trouble


Today The Farmer was greeted by two escape artists as he stepped out to do morning chores. We've had some terrible winds the past two days, and one of the (poorly-secured) gates blew down. The rams, who would rather be with the ewes right now, took advantage of the opening and spent some time outside their pen.

The rams are right--it's about time to join the rest of the flock so that we'll get spring lambs. The Farmer decided that since they were half-way to their destination, we'd just help them along. This involved a complicated dance of moving two separate flocks to new pasture. And then adding the rams to one of the flocks.

All hands were on deck, and all paws, too. Our border collie is moderately helpful, at best, and sometimes downright unhelpful. Today was one of those unhelpful days. She snuck off while our attention was elsewhere and got tangled (oh, goodness) in an electrified poly fence.

She received repeated shocks from a fencer designed to keep sheep (with insulating wool) at bay. And she was NOT happy.

Instinct caused her to struggle and bite at the offending fence, making things much worse. Her frantic yelps brought The Farmer running with his insulated leather gloves, and after some struggle she was freed.

She is fine. I'm not sure if she'll ever go near a white poly fence again. Maybe she learned a lesson today.

I got to thinking about how sometimes I slink off while I think God isn't looking. Invariably I find myself in trouble, and need rescuing. All my struggles only make the tangled mess worse. Wonder if I'll ever learn my lesson...

Comments

  1. Ouch! Poor doggie.

    I had a thought like that when our son was 2 and all worried about something that I had set up. My thought was that it was handled, and he didn't need to worry - he was just working himself up, and all he needed to do was trust me.

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